Process for finishing or ornamenting metal buttons and the like



Patented June 27, 1933 i PATET :0; FICE LEONARD R. GARLEY, OF WATERTOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT BUTTON GOMPANY, F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, (IQRPOBATIQN OF CON NEGT- IGUT rnocnss son FINISHING on ORNAMEINTING METAL BUTTQNS AND THE, LIKE No Drawing.

color, resembling somewhat in appearance an inlaid enamel effect.

Another object of the invention is to provide, a process wherein a button or button shell or cap formed of steel may be-subjected to a preliminary thin, copper coating and the process then carried out for ornamenting the article in the same manner in which it would be carried out if the button or button shell or cap were formed of a solid copper.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a process of, ornamenting and finish? ing buttons or button shells formed of copper, or formed of thin steel, with a (preliminary copper plate placed thereomafter which the articles are oxidized and then subjected to apaint bath in a tumbling'barrel, then they aredried or pre-baked. Following this prebaking, any shells that have stuck to each other are to be separated and the shells then subjected to a relieving operation. to thus remove the surplus paint and the surplus oxidizing coat, but leaving the depressions of the configurations or ornamentations or pattern in the shell coated the desired color, after which the shells are carefully lacquered, so that-the now, bronze finish'and the coated walls'of the depressions will be of a lasting nature.

. .Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a method for finishing buttons, button shells and 'the'like to present a rich, bronze lustre, while the linesof the ornamentation V in the shells or other articles will be coated any desired'color to thus cause the configuration or ornamentationof the shells 'to stand out in striking detail:

, Still another object of theinvention is to Application filed September 24-, 1932. Serial No. 634,799.

provide an inexpensive method for ornament ing buttons or shells of like'nature, and especially where the article has been previously stamped with an ornamental design, so

that a rich,'inlaid effect is produced, the entlre process being very efficient and very economical.

' With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combinationoi; parts, as will be'hereinafter more fully described and pointed'out in the claims.

buttons, such as tack or'staple buttons, there is generally provided ashell that forms the It might be mentioned in a preliminary I "manner that in the manufacture of metallic body and hub, over which is crimped a cap,

which cap is generally stamped with an or- ,namental configuration to provide'a'pleasing ,efiect, or often the trade-mark or other insigniais stamped in the shell to designate the origin of the button or the origin of the goods to which the button-is attached.

This stamping, of course, of the cap leaves various depressed surfaces in the button shell, and it is the filling of these surfaces with the desired color, together with the treatment of the remaining surface of the cap or shell that forms'the gist of the present invention.

For the sake of example, supposing small button caps of steel, with certain ornamental depressions formed therein, are desired to be treated, I first subject the same to a copper plating bath, which may be of the usual sodium, cyanide and soda solution, but any other vform of copper coating might be likewise employed. It will be understood, of course, that should the caps be formed 01 copper, this copper coating will not be necessary The caps are now subjected to a copper oxide dip, which leaves the shell with a black copper oxide coating thereon;

With the shells now, in this blackened condition, they are placed in a tumbling barrel in which hasbeen placed an oil paint, and the caps are tumbled and rolled until athin coat of oil paint covers the same. and coats the walls of the depressed insigniawor ornaor separated by hand and placed in an oven,

where they are preferably baked from twelve to fourteen hours, at substantially two hundred and seventy-five degrees. After the baking and cooling, they are subjected to a relieving operation which is as follows:

The caps are now placed in a further tumbling barrel, which is preferably filled with cold water, Where they are subjected to a tumbling operation until all the paint has been'reinoved except that which has been baked into the stamped design.

It will be understood that this paint (in the depressions), of course, is not removed, as the caps or shells in tumbling about each other, will have no edges or surfaces small enough to fit within these depressions, so that, although the surplus paint is removed, that is, the paint from the plane surfaces of the caps, the depressions will remain covered or coated Which is, of course, desired.

After this relieving operation, the caps are then lacquered, so that the bronze surface and the coated depressions in the shell will be of lasting effect.

It will be seen that when thecaps are placed through the relieving operation and the surplus paint is removed, there is also removed a part of the black, oxidizing finish, thus leaving a bronze or copper oxide shell having its ornamentation coated with paint. In other words, by the one rolling operation, the surplus paint is removed and also the surplus bronze or oxidizing dip, thus leaving a brilliantly covered copper oxide or bronze appearing shell, or cap, having its pattern or ornamentation (depressions) coated the desired color.

It will be understood thatalthoug-h I have described the process as being carried out with ornamented shells or caps that are designed to be crimped over the ordinary body shell of a button, still any small article of .a similar nature might be so treated, such as solid sew-on buttons or fish-eye buttons and the like.

Furthermore, the process is not limited in any way to buttons or button shells, but might be used in any article of a like nature, wherein it is desired to produce a bronze or copper oxide finish, while the pattern or design or ornamentation is coated to produce a striking effect, resembling somewhat in appearance a colored inlay.

From the foregoing, it will :be seen that I.

can either treat or finish a hard metal shell or cap or similar article by preliminary coatwithcopper, or I can utilize a copper and, in either instance, after oxidizing the same, subjecting it to a paint bath, baking and then relieving the surplus paint and surplus oxide, the article may be lacquered to produce a highly finished, ornamented article of pleasing appearance and at a relatively small cost.

It will be understood that thousands of these articles may be treated at the one time and that the cost, therefore, per article is exceedingly small.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method for finishing and ornamenting impressed copper buttons, button caps,

shells and the like which consists in subject- 0 ing the articles to a copper oxide dip, rolling on a coat :of paint, pro-baking or drying, subjecting the coated articles to an oven heat, immersing the articles in a cold water bath within a tumbling barrel and rolling the articles to relieve the surplus paint and leaving the impression coated with the paint, drying thearticles and lacquering the surface of the articles including the impression.

2. A method for finishing impressed ornamented copper coated buttons, button shells, button caps and the like which consists in subjecting the articles to a copper oxide dip, rolling on a coat of paint, p'rebaking and separating any of the articles that have adhered, subjecting the paint-coated articles to a baking of oven heat, immersing the articles in a cold Water bath, tumbling and rolling the articles to remove the surface paint on said articles, leaving the plane surfaces of the articles in a bronzed condition, and the impressions coated with the paint, drying the articles and lacquering the surface of the articles including the impressions.

3. A method for finishing metal buttons and button caps that have depressed insignia therein which consists in subjecting the articles, if they are other than copper, to a copper plating, dipping the articles in copper oxide, subjecting the articles to an oil paint,

drying or pre-baking, and then subjecting the articles to a baking heat of substantially two hundred and seventy-five degrees for a period of from twelve to fourteen hours,

placing the articles in a cold bath Within a than copper, to a copper coating, dipping the articles in the copper oxide so that the articles are now relatively black, rolling on an oil paint, drying or pie-baking, and separating any articles that have adhered, then subjecting the articles to a baking heat of black copper oxide and leaves the plane surfaces with a deep bronze finish, and then lacquering the surface of the articles including the depressed insignia to preserve said finish.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

LEONARD R. CARLEY. 

